Dammit, Jim, you had an out!  I'm gonna slap that boy.  :)


Author's Response:

You know, I don't know why I'm dragging it out in my own fic - I mean, part of the reason I write is to make things happen that I want to see...like now.  I'm feeling angsty this weekend, though -- and plus, you gotta suffer through the angst to get to the big payoff, right?  ;o) 

Thanks for reviewing! 

Okay, I'm beyond thrilled that you have a new series. Because that means I'll get happiness and smut. Or at least I better. However, I'm not reading any chapter until it's finished. I can't handle another "Only." You hear me? I can't! Okay, I need to settle down. Maybe Creed could tell me about The Fight again.

Author's Response:

All right, beetfarm, here's the deal with "Only": I have not forgotten about it at all (and it's a priority, believe me), but the problem is that when I try to sort of force myself to write something when I'm not feeling it, I end up with crap.  Seriously. ;O) And the angst bug bit me on the butt recently (clearly), so I thought I'd write this series, get it out of my system, and then finish "Only."  I promise, though, there'll be an "Only" update fairly soon.  

And this story, since it's all planned out, will be finished really soon as well.  You have my word!

Thanks for the encouragement! 

update soon

Author's Response: Will do.  This one's all planned out, so it shouldn't be too long...

I am loving the Office muse.  So much good fanfic coming out from "The Negotiation." 

I can totally believe the whole scenario between Jim and Karen after the crazy night of drinking shots.  Jim, drunk and lonely, and Karen standing there so beautiful, but naturally, it's better if he just sleeps this one off.  Ha!

And thanks for solving the mystery of the missing Diwali text message.  Perfect.

Eagerly awaiting the next installment girl7.

10

This is SO Jim. Like the way he leaves a box of souvenirs from their pranks on Pam's desk, and then walks away without looking back. Even as he leaves her (for what he thinks is forever), he knows he doesn't have to leave her a note; even at this nadir in their relationship, he unconsciously knows she will "get it". 

And then I love the way you portray Karen so sympathetically, as the woman bringing him back to life after he is shattered in the Parking Lot of Doom (or should that be the Desk of Hopelessness?). She has done a lot for Jim, and it will be painful yet very very realistic to see how much she gets hurt in the fallout from this story. 

Then you leave us with this cry of pain straight from Jim's heart:
I can't do it; I have to move on.  I was moving on.  Ow ow ow.

This is all very wonderful, and I am enjoying it so much. Can't wait to see where it all leads. 

Ow.  Jim.  And I'm not talking about the glass in his foot.

You are working this all out, right?  Ow. 

Hmm, again with the intensely sexy eye contact... yum.  And the flashbacks to happy(ish) S1 & S2 make my heart hurt even more for the angst & snippy Jim of S3. 

I will be beyond thrilled if you post updates quickly!!  

What a treat to see a new story by you!  Looking forward to more after such a wonderful start.

Author's Response:

Thanks so much!  Hopefully I'll have the next chapter posted soon.

Thanks again!

9

I'm so glad you've decided to explore the aftermath of The Negociation...what a great ff-inspiring episode. I've always liked your use of flashbacks, and your truly unique ways of always bringing them together in the end. Looking forward to the rest of this.

Author's Response:

I know - as soon as I saw that scene in the break room (when he just stopped and leaned against the coke machine), I thought, oh god, I've got to write about this...  This has been one of those sort of annoying stories for me (like Elsewhere was) because it WILL NOT leave me alone.  I can't get anything else done (and I've got so much else to do!).  

Anyway, thank you - as always - for reviewing!  You are absolutely the reigning review goddess over here, I swear. :o)  

Oh my...this story is WONDERFUL!  I can't wait to read more!

Thank you girl7!

I love that they would look for the 4-leaf clovers together and that the kiss made Pam stay frozen to her spot and how they didn't discuss it the next day and Jim looked a little disappointed...I don't know how you keep cranking out the high quality stories, but I love them!

Author's Response:

I totally have a thing about 4-leaf clovers (I could look for them for hours, and I don't know why), and it was something that I could envision the two of them doing together.  

Thanks so much for taking the time to review; you're the best! 

I've really enjoyed your other stuff and was excited to see you wrote another story.  This is amazing. You write Jim and Pam's thoughts and emotions so well, as well as the situation they are in. I was tearing up while reading the third chapter. This is off to a great start. I cant wait for the next chapter!

Author's Response:

Thanks so much - it's always a treat to hear that someone likes the older stuff, too.  (I actually like it a lot more than most of the newer stuff that I've written, which probably says sad things about me as a writer - heh.)

Thanks for the review! 

Oh man, this is so compelling.  You've certainly set the stage.  I can't wait to see how you work through this.  As usual, the quality of your writing is just ridiculously high.

Author's Response:

Hey, thanks so much brokenloon!  It's a different technique for me to map out the entire arc before I begin the story; usually I'll start with either an image or a line or a simple concept, and let the story just go wherever it will.  So this will be an interesting experiment; I hope it works.  ;o) 

Thanks again for reviewing!